Ghostbusters vs the Real Ghostbusters

Which is the bustin' crew for you?

When Atari's Ghostbusters games ship next year, it'll have been a mere 25 years since Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis and Ernie Hudson first donned their proton packs for the big screen and "Who you gonna call?" was a national catch phrase. In that time there have been a number of videogames that attempted to bring the loveable foursome home, but none have really captured the core spirit of the films. Until now.

Above: Next-gen version

The new Ghostbusters game is best thought of as part-game, part-movie. Rather than a mere adaptation of movie events, the game is a fully scripted sequel to the theatrical films, essentially taking the place of the long rumored Ghostbusters III. And with all the major players on board (Murray, Aykroyd, Ramis and Hudson are all involved, as are William Atherton and Annie Potts) the story is as authentic as it gets.

Starting two years after the second film (which would make the year 1991), the game drops you into the role of a brand new fifth Ghostbuster, an experimental weapons tech. Employed by the city of New York, under the oversight of the smarmy Mr. Peck, the Ghostbusters are called upon when, in the words of the developer, "all hell breaks loose." Before you can shout out, "Bustin' makes me feel good!" you're out on a mission, PKE meter and proton pack in hand.

Above: Wii Version

What's most interesting about the upcoming game however, is the parallel development paths taken by the three different versions. The PS3 and Xbox 360 versions of the game are near identical, with both going for a vibrant, but realistic look. The Wii version shares the exact same plot and voice script, but the visuals have a definite cartoon inspired bent. If we didn't know any better, we'd guess that the Wii game will ultimately be titled "The Real Ghostbusters" because the characters look as if they were lifted directly from the titular cartoon series.